Bayer Leverkusen had a lot to cheer about in the final moments of Thursday’s match.
They not only secured a spot in the Europa League final and stayed on track for a treble, but also maintained their impressive unbeaten streak with Josip Stanišić’s late goal, earning a crucial 2-2 draw against Roma.
Their unbeaten run, which now stands at 49 matches, seemed in jeopardy during the semifinal second leg when two penalties from Leandro Paredes put Roma ahead 2-0 on the night and level 2-2 on aggregate. However, an own goal from Roma’s Gianluca Mancini and Stanišić’s equalizer ensured Leverkusen’s advancement with a 4-2 aggregate score.
Leverkusen will now face another Italian team in the final on May 22 in Dublin, after Atalanta’s 3-0 win over Marseille secured their spot with a 4-1 aggregate score.
Granit Xhaka the team’s feelings, saying, “It’s pure goosebumps! You dream of an atmosphere like this. You dream of games like this. As a kid, you want to be in these games and then when you equalize just before the end and get to the final, it’s incredible.”
Preserving their unbeaten record just seconds away from defeat added another remarkable chapter to Leverkusen’s impressive season under Xabi Alonso, who has already led them to the Bundesliga title and the German Cup final.
